It's a no vote on naked party

By Manuel Mitternacht and agencies

June 7, 2009 — 12.00am

ITALIAN Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has threatened to sue the Spanish newspaper El Pais over the publication of photos that show topless women and a naked European leader during a private pool party at his summer estate.

The faces are pixelated to comply with privacy laws but the former Czech prime minister Mirek Topolanek, who was Mr Berlusconi's guest last year, confirmed in Prague he was the man depicted.

Innocent photos … a man reads El Pais.Credit:AFP

"It is clearly also the result of a photo-montage," he added.

The pictures show topless women in the garden of Mr Berlusconi's Villa Certosa in Sardinia during a party for the Czech delegation.

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Mr Berlusconi banned publication of the images in Italy where he owns a large share in the country's media industry, and expressed outrage over the publication.

"These are innocent photos. There's no scandal, but this is a violation of privacy and a scandalous aggression," he told Italian state radio. Asked why there were naked women at his home, Mr Berlusconi continued: "Do you take a shower dressed? These girls were bathing in a whirlpool bath inside a private home, and they were assaulted in a scandalous way."

The Prime Minister learnt about the pictures when photographer Antonello Zappadu was trying to sell them for 1.5 million ($2.6 million) to the magazine Panorama, which belongs to Mr Berlusconi's media empire.

Zappadu, who took hundreds of pictures, claims Mr Berlusconi often threw parties for showgirls, nude models and actresses at his 60-hectare estate. He told El Pais that "virtually every weekend" Italian air force flights brought Mr Berlusconi's friends, dancers and TV hostesses to the luxury property.

The mainly female guests were asked to call him "Papi" to avoid his name being mentioned in private telephone conversations. This codename was revealed recently when Mr Berlusconi's wife accused him of having an affair with an 18-year-old model.